Ivanka held out her hands. “Untie me, will you? Or are you planning to pull my pants off for me?”The man was caught off guard by her blunt words. Partly because he had not expected such a brazen remark and partly because it was the kind of thing he might say.Despite his initial hesitation, he foolishly untied her hands.Once her hands were free, Ivanka and Sandy headed behind the large tree.The tree appeared to have been alive for a long time. Its massive trunk was so wide that it would take three adults linking arms to encircle it. It was the perfect spot to stay hidden from view.Ivanka shot Sandy a look and silently signaled to her.Meanwhile, the man guarding them kept glancing toward the tree. He craned his neck and hoped to catch a glimpse of what they were up to.Then, out of nowhere, there was a loud thud. It sounded like something heavy had hit the ground.A moment later, Ivanka’s shoe appeared from behind the tree. Sandy’s voice followed as she said in a trembling
Ivanka used her gun to hold off Mr. George’s men while urging Sandy to leave quickly.Sandy cried desperately. She wanted to leave with Ivanka. She wanted to tell her she could not make it on her own, but they had no other choice.Ivanka was not just helping her escape. She was creating a chance for both of them. This was the only way either of them could survive.Sandy sobbed and said, “Stay safe and wait for me. I’ll come back for you.”Ivanka smiled and nodded. Then she said in a serious tone, “No matter what you hear, don’t stop. Just keep running up the mountain. That’s the only way you’ll be safe. Got it?”Sandy nodded vigorously. Once she saw Sandy leave, Ivanka turned to fight back.Her gun did not have many bullets left. She did not want to hurt anyone because she knew it would only make Mr. George angrier, and she would have to pay for it.She only wanted to hold them off for a little while, but one of the men recklessly charged forward.Ivanka had no choice but to
Mr. George did not say a word. He just stared at Ivanka with a cold, menacing glare.She stood tall and composed. After a moment, Mr. George broke into a slow chuckle. “Ivanka, you’re something else. I really underestimated you.”Ivanka smiled faintly but remained silent.In an instant, Mr. George’s expression darkened. He pulled out his gun, cocked it, and pointed it directly at her forehead. He said ruthlessly, “Do you have any idea how many of my men, who fought alongside me, you’ve killed?”Ivanka said nothing. The truth was, she also was not sure either.Earlier, her shots had been meant as warnings. The bullets were intended to intimidate, not to kill. But in the heat of the moment, the last six bullets had been aimed directly at people. She had no idea if they had hit vital areas or caused fatalities.Mr. George held up three fingers. His face twisted with rage as he shuddered. “Three! Three of my brothers are dead because of you!”Ivanka shrugged and said calmly, “Mr.
She waited, but no car showed up. Instead, her pursuers arrived.Five men armed with machetes closed in on her.Their eyes were fixed on the helpless Sandy with menacing grins.Sandy screamed in terror, but her desperate cries only excited them as they watched her helplessness.She found herself in an isolated, helpless situation. She was utterly alone, and there was no way out.She could only watch as the five men closed in on her. In her mind, she kept thinking of Ivanka, who had desperately tried to clear the way for her escape.Sandy shook her head and backed away. A tear slid down her cheek.Eventually, she stumbled and fell to the ground. Exhausted and helpless, she could do nothing but watch as the men drew closer.The leader smiled and said, “Hey, gorgeous. Let me send you on your way.”When she saw them pulling out knives in front of her, she quickly shut her eyes and cried out, “No!”... After Ivanka was captured, she was taken back to the same abandoned factory.
“It looks like your subordinates are the ones who have a fate worse than death, not my friend, Mr. George.”Ivanka smiled. Her smile was usually warm and refreshing. But at that moment, it was chilling. Her bright smile made the atmosphere even more tense.Mr. George was infuriated and slapped her hard. Her face immediately swelled up.But she did not cry out in pain. She kept a smile on her face. It was as if she was silently asking if that was all he got. Mr. George felt so insulted that he dragged her to a water tank nearby and pressed her head down into the water.As the cold water hit her face, she shivered. She did not have time to hold her breath. The water rushed into her nose and throat. It was painful and suffocating.No matter how much she struggled, the large hand continued pressing down on her head.Her hands were bound tightly behind her back, and she could not find anything to hold onto.She knew he was being serious this time. She closed her eyes, stopped s
Travis spoke so softly that Ivanka could not hear what he said. Then she heard Mr. George say no while dismissing him. Clearly, Mr. George did not want Travis to bring up the topic again. Travis looked nervous. He drew closer to Mr. George and said, “Boss, your ultimate aim is to humiliate her and Michael instead of making money, so why wouldn’t my idea work?” Ivanka was horrified and had a bad feeling about the “idea” they were sharing. For some reason, the traffickers they had contacted could not make it. On top of that, she had previously killed their gang members. Therefore, some of them could no longer hold back themselves and wanted to humiliate her and Michael immediately. Ivanka knew she must not show her fear at that moment. Her fear of them would only make the b*stards grow even more exciting. Nonetheless, she refused to allow those b*stards to ruin her body. If worse came to worst, she would perish together with them. Still, she refused to accept the fact
“Don’t you feel sorry for what you’ve done?!” Ivanka stared at Travis as if she was staring at an idiot. “Mr. George is the one who killed him. Since you were so close to Benny, you should hate Mr. George instead. Why are you forcing me to regret myself for what I’ve done to him?” Ivanka looked at Travis in puzzlement. Travis was afraid of Mr. George because of his power, so he targeted Ivanka, who was weaker in comparison. Travis knew Mr. George was the one who had killed Benny. But he tended to delude himself and put all the blame on Ivanka. All he wanted was a peace of mind. Ivanka felt speechless. She sighed while looking at the rancid food. She wondered when she would be rescued and when the opportunity would come to leave this place. An opportunity presented to those who were well-prepared for it. When it was time to leave this place, she could not run away with an empty stomach. It would only cause her trouble. So, Ivanka decided to take the plate. Little
Suddenly, Ivanka saw a human face appear outside the window. She was shocked. She looked carefully at the human face and realized that it was none other than Michael. Ivanka cradled her mouth for fear that she would cry out in excitement. Her eyes teared up. When she was taken away, threatened, and mistreated, she barely showed any emotions. It was not because she was not afraid of them. Mr. George was ruthless. He was a madman. She could not look fearful in front of these men. She needed to protect Sandy. As she continued to act tough, she became used to it. It was not until she saw Michael that she finally met her savior. Michael had trekked all the way up the mountain to find Ivanka at all costs. He also bore the risk of being discovered by Mr. George and his group at any time. But the moment he saw Ivanka, he thought everything he did was worthwhile. “Are you still alright?” Michael mouthed. Using his lips, he asked about Ivanka’s current condition. Ivanka n
Ivanka did not pay him any mind and got into the car. If Michael dared to chase after her again, she would most definitely kick him out of the car! She would do what she said she would!Michael did not catch up, but he blocked her with his arms wide open. His stance was clear: You can leave. But over my dead body! Ivanka could not possibly drive over Michael. But it was not a problem for Michael to keep blocking her way. Plus, she had just politely rejected his parents. So, it was even more impossible for her to turn back. Ivanka ran out of patience. She held her forehead and frowned. Michael had already drained her last bit of patience. She never imagined that Michael would actually cling to her to such an extent! How would she put it? All her positivity had been drained clean! “Michael, your parents are still at home. Aren’t you afraid they’ll see and laugh at you? I know Grandpa and Grandma are standing by our side now. It’s not like you and I haven’t been in
Ivanka would neither accept the carrot nor the stick approach. Michael had no choice but to persuade her with reason and win her over with affection. Ivanka snorted. “Have you ever given me a chance to have a meal with you before this? As the saying goes, Rome wasn’t built in a day. It takes time for things to come to this state. Things might have passed for you but not for me!” Ivanka’s gaze was razor-sharp. Michael felt his heart clench up. At that moment, his throat was in so much pain that he did not know what else to say to her. Ivanka did not wait for his response. She pushed away his hand and headed out without hesitation. Michael did not stop her. Nonetheless, he went after her and followed behind her. Meanwhile, they heard the sound from the kitchen. Mindy prepared dinner in the kitchen, and Jay helped her out. They had heard their conversation. Out of courtesy, Ivanka went to the kitchen and greeted them. She said with a smile, “Uncle Jay, Aunt Mindy, I’m
Ivanka clenched her fists. Her gaze was filled with ferocity. She looked like she was really going to punch Michael. Michael noticed the anger in her eyes. But since the person was none other than Ivanka, he was willing to take the beating. He even took a step forward and held his head high. “Strike me if you want.” “You!” Ivanka glared at Michael. He truly annoyed her. She reminded herself to keep her composure. She sucked in a deep breath before saying, “Michael, I’ve treated you with respect. You’d better behave yourself.” Right after she finished the sentence, Ivanka left. Before she even took a step forward, Michael grabbed her. “My mom is preparing the dishes inside the kitchen. If you leave now, you’re not showing me any respect. Please stay around to have dinner. Even though we’re already divorced, and it’s impossible for us to get back together again, we’re still friends,” said Michael. Haha! He had been adamant. He was using the same approach to draw close
Mindy’s expression instantly darkened. “What’s with us being prejudiced against her? Had I ever targeted her when she married Michael from the beginning? “She knew how well Rosie had treated her. It’s her own fault for failing to bond with Mic. How could you blame us?” Mindy had always disliked Ivanka. She believed Samuel’s intervention had been the reason for their marriage. It was an arranged marriage. There was no need for the Barkworth’s family to have an arranged marriage. At the end of the day, it was all up to Samuel to choose the bride for Michael. Ever since Ivanka married Michael, aside from the deliberate arrangements, they had hardly shown up together as a couple in public. Mindy did not have any particularly hard feelings for Ivanka. She believed the two would live happily together after getting married. After they divorced, Mindy thought Michael could start all over again. But she did not expect to see their current relationship was no different from when they
It was Jay and Mindy. When Ivanka saw them, a thought came across her mind. She took out a syringe and inserted it into Michael’s arm to unmute him. Michael felt like he had been stung by a bee. It was as though he had been put in jail, only to be freed all of a sudden. Ivanka took away the syringe and gave him a glance with displeasure. “Get out of the car now. Your parents are here—” “Aren’t you entering the house?” Before Ivanka finished her sentence, Michael interrupted her. When he looked at her, his eyes were filled with sincerity and seriousness. But Ivanka rejected him coldly. “Quick! Get out of the car! I’m not joking with you. Get out now!” “Let’s go in together. After all, you’re already here. Are you worried about seeing them?” Michael was undaunted by her emotions and tone. Instead, he stretched out his hand to try to grab Ivanka. Nonetheless, she avoided him with ease. Meanwhile, Jay and Mindy saw them. They walked over to them. Mindy glanced at th
It was no wonder Jonah asked for so many details. All these were facts.Ivanka did not avoid answering his questions. She gave a light smile. “The longest will be half a year.”If the treatment was ineffective after half a year, she would go to Silvania with Vincent.After all, it was not just about her.Upon learning of Ivanka’s decision, Jonah smiled wryly. “Iv, I don’t think it’s an easy feat to treat my legs. How about you go and deal with your stuff first? You can always treat my legs afterward.”Ivanka initially planned to do it that way. But George, Florence, and Margaret had interrupted her plan.Since she had returned to Bostone, why was there a need to travel back and forth again?She might as well treat Jonah’s legs.Besides, Vincent had informed her that it would be highly uncertain whether they could still return to their home country after arriving at Silvania.Ivanka said, “No. I don’t want to make so many trips. I’ll treat your legs for half a year and see if i
It was not an overstatement to say Michael was crossing the line. Nonetheless, Ivanka could not just sit there and watch the two men get into a conflict. Hence, Ivanka pulled Michael to the side and glanced at him. “If you don’t want to be kicked out, you’d better wait here.” But Michael was undaunted by Jonah. Although Jonah had the power to rebuke him in his own territory, Michael refused to allow Jonah to get the upper hand. Ivanka saw the determination in Michael’s eyes. She was very worried that the two might get into a fight. She quickly pulled him back. “Stop making me worry about you. Just wait here! If you dare to come after me, I’ll…” Although she did not finish her sentence, her intention was clear enough. If Michael disobeyed her, she would make him a statue! Understanding this, Michael did not follow Ivanka. But when Jonah turned around and left, the provocation in his eyes was evident. Still, Michael listened to Ivanka. He did not want to offend her. He
Jonah narrowed his eyes while questioning Michael. Still, Michael did not respond to him. Ivanka pursed her lips. She looked displeased when she answered Jonah, “Jonah, there’s no need to speak so harshly. Do you still want me to treat your legs?” She had temporarily made Michael mute. She did that to stop Michael from talking endlessly about those things. Nonetheless, he had still insisted on coming along with her, only to end up being targeted by Jonah. Ivanka had no intention of making Michael mute in front of Jonah. Upon hearing Ivanka’s words, Jonah looked at where she currently stood. She stood in front of Michael. It looked like she was trying to protect him more. As the saying went, true love was portrayed in hard times. This saying was true indeed. It was true that Ivanka cared about Michael. Jonah said gently to Ivanka, “I want you to treat my legs, and I only speak harshly to specific people. I already showed him much respect when he barged into my terri
Michael remained resolute.Ivanka rolled her eyes. “Then stay stubborn. I’ll only fix it when you stop pushing me away.”After she was done speaking, she turned to leave.Michael followed.He even opened the passenger door and got in her car. He was determined to follow her.But Ivanka would not go easy on him.Once inside, she warned him coldly, “Not being able to speak is harder than you think. Follow if you want. Michael, are you sure about this?”Even after her warning, he kept staring straight ahead.She said nothing more and started the engine.Within half an hour, she arrived at Jonah’s mansion.Jonah came out to greet her personally. The moment Ivanka parked the car, Jonah immediately spotted Michael in the passenger seat.The sight of him stirred up bitterness in Jonah. Yet there was nothing he could do.Before Ivanka exited the car, she said to Michael, “Wait here.”Without glancing at him, she walked straight toward Jonah.Her attitude made Michael decide t